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Sunday, July 15, 2012

There's a solid mix of veg and
non-veg entrees at East India Grill and everything is average or better,
if a bit on the sweet side.

7 out of 10 Peppers = Spicy

I'm
not a group dining person. Dinner with up to six people -- that, I'm
all about. But once it gets beyond six, I'm only able to talk to the
people sitting adjacent to me anyway, so what are all those other people
there for? Just to make me feel guilty that I can't simultaneously have
a conversation with them, or at least that's how I interpret it.

However,
there is one big plus with doing a group dinner at an Indian
restaurant: family-style entrees. The more people the more stuff I get
to taste (without increasing my individual bill, since we usually just
split the final bill evenly among everyone), so when I went to a
networking dinner at East India Grill recently in Mid-City West -- which
was picked for its central location -- I was at least happy that even
if I couldn't have a conversation with everyone, I could at least sample
everyone's dinner choice.

THE SETTING

I was eying
the outdoor patio as I approached, but it was a brisk evening so we
wound up sitting inside, which has the typical Indian color scheme of
gold (the curtains) and red (the tablecloths and napkins). The service
is OK, if kind of slow yet intrusive at the same time (an odd
combination). There is free street parking on Sundays and I had no
trouble finding a spot, but on Fridays and Saturdays especially I am
sure it's more difficult.THE FOOD

The other
downside to dining with a large group is that I definitely got outvoted
in requesting "mild" entrees and "medium" won out. (Did I mention it was
a group of Indian folks and that I sadly lack the Indian "gene" for
spicy food?) But thankfully, of all the entrees only the Malai Kofta was
too spicy for me.

Actually, one diner even commented that all of
the food was a little on the sweet side, and I have to agree. Another
commented that it was "a 7 or 8 -- good but not memorable."

I was pleased to see a good selection of California reds and whites on the wine list, plus five Indian beers.

The meal began with complimentary Papadum. It was actually a little spicy and super crispy.

My namesake Saag Paneer was so flavorful. Definitely order this.

The
shrimp in the Masala Shrimp was a little overcooked, but I liked the
super sweet sauce. I have sympathy for those who overcook seafood, as I
inadvertently do it all the time in my fear of foodborne illness.
Getting a requested meat thermometer as a wedding gift has certainly
helped, as at least now I can see how badly I am overcooking it.

The Tofu Biryani was just OK.

We
ordered so many different curries that I'm hoping I'm not getting them
confused. We had a mix of veg and non-veg diner, so we got the Navratan
Korma (fresh peas with homemade cheese and nuts in spiced gravy) as one
of the veg-friendly ones.

Here it is, my spicy nemesis the Malai Kofta. (But at least I had plenty of other options!)

East
India Grill has a ton of Naan choices, including Parmesan, Garlic
Basil, Onion Cilantro and stuffed Naans including Potato, Cheese,
Chicken, and Shrimp.

The entrees came with a shared Raita, which was very cucumber-y and delicious.

We
didn't order a dessert, but our server brought us complimentary
Pistachio (shown) and Mango Ice Cream, two traditional Indian dessert
flavors.

The restaurant was accommodating to our group, pushing tables together
to ensure we all fit, and I'd go here again if invited. Will I go on my
own? Probably not. But only because there are other comparable Indian
restaurants closer to me. But if East India Grill was in my
neighborhood, I'd be a repeat customer -- and I'd ever order my food Medium.

About Me

When it comes to being a foodie, the only two things I can really claim expertise in are Indian food and red velvet cake. Figuring I'd best leave the red velvet cake blog to someone in the South, here's my take on Indian food in southern California.